Caring for patients during voluntarily stopping of eating and drinking (VSED): experiences of a palliative care team in Germany

BMC Palliat Care. 2023 Nov 21;22(1):185. doi: 10.1186/s12904-023-01308-z.ABSTRACTBACKGROUND: Health-care professionals are confronted with patients who wish to end their lives through voluntarily stopping eating and drinking (VSED). During VSED, symptoms such as agitation, thirst or psychological distress may arise, thus making close medical accompaniment necessary. Dealing with these symptoms can put a high burden on palliative care teams. Furthermore, divergent perceptions of the ethical classification of VSED may lead to moral distress. The aim of this study was to assess the influence of experience gained over time on the burden of palliative care professionals while accompanying patients during VSED and…
Origen: Caring for patients during voluntarily stopping of eating and drinking (VSED): experiences of a palliative care team in Germany – PubMed